“He should give me one of his Ballon d'Or!” – Cristiano Ronaldo’s ex-teammate claims he was ‘better’ than Portugal superstar

Cristiano Ronaldo's former Sporting CP Academy teammate Fabio Paim claimed he was once better than the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, jokingly suggesting that the former should give him one of his prestigious awards.

Paim joined Sporting's academy at the age of nine. His promising potential as a winger in his youth even earned him £327,000, as fans and players traveled across the country to watch him (via talkSPORT).

The former Portugal U21 international was later joined at the academy by Cristiano Ronaldo, with the two building a great relationship on and off the pitch. When the latter joined Manchester United in 2003, he famously said (via SPORTbible):

"If you think I'm good, just wait until you see Fabio Paim."

Despite having the world at his feet and being allegedly more talented than Ronaldo at the time, Paim was unable to make the most of his professional career. The 35-year-old was given a chance to represent Chelsea on loan in 2008 but failed to make a single appearance.

Since then, he has played for a host of smaller clubs but has been unable to settle anywhere and has been without a club since the 2017-18 season.

In an interview with The Sun, Paim addressed his past with Cristiano Ronaldo:

“I was really special. I must be humble but this is the truth," he said. “Unfortunately back then there was not Instagram or Facebook, nothing was recorded like nowadays but I strongly and honestly believe that until today there was no other like me with the same quality I had."

He added:

“Cristiano, for all his effort and hard work, went to a level he deserves. But when I was playing, if I had the same effort and commitment, I would be better than him. If I speak about technique, I was better. I was a small Ronaldinho. But as we can see, it's not the technique that leads us to wherever."

Paim cheekily concluded:

“But yes at that time I was better than Cristiano. I believe he should give me one of his Ballons d'Or!”

Cristiano Ronaldo's mindset, work ethic, and dedication to the sport have ensured he is still playing at the highest level at the age of 38, proving that it takes a lot more than just raw talent. The Real Madrid legend has won five Ballon d'Or awards, the second most in history.

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"I don't know if the record is beatable" - Lionel Messi after winning seventh Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi is one of the greatest players to ever grace the game and has a huge argument to be crowned the best ever. He won his seventh Ballon d'Or award in 2021, claiming nobody, including Cristiano Ronaldo, would be able to surpass his record.

He said (via Daily Mirror):

"I don't know if the record is beatable," he claimed. "I just have to accept it but I'm not sure if it can be beaten. Seven is really impressive."

Lionel Messi is highly likely to win his eighth Ballon d'Or award this year, having led Argentina to 2022 FIFA World Cup glory. He also won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't been nominated for the Ballon d'Or for the first time since 2004. However, he is likely to be back in the conversation after a bright start to the current campaign. He has scored 11 goals and provided six assists in 11 appearances in total, surpassing Erling Haaland to become the top-scorer in 2023 with 40 goals.